Volvo is no doubt a Company that believes and, most of all, invests in new media marketing. We have seen excellent Volvo’s campaigns on the Web, and now we find the car manufacturer testing mobile marketing’s potentials.
In December they have presented a mobile-based competition giving away an V50 to a lucky winner in Switzerland. Mobile users who wanted to participate just had to text V50 plus their postal code to a dedicated number. They then received a special number and the indication of the closest Volvo dealer. By visiting the dealer and presenting the code, they received some immediate prizes and they have been automatically allowed to enter the Christmas draw where the V50 was assigned.
In Spain they are currently running a wireless marketing campaign to provide its clients with information on its S80 Premium Drive. By texting “Volvo” plus the preferred combustible type and their postal code to the number 5676, users will receive directly on their mobile a bunch of information on the closer Volvo dealer and a list of the available models at such location. As Diario IPmark reports (in Spanish) the campaign is currently running only in Madrid and Barcelona. If it proves successful, the initiative (supported by MyAlert Marketing Interactivo) will be extended to the rest of the country.

In Spain MyAlert Marketing Interactivo and Cool Lines have developed a campaign for Heinz Ketchup integrating e-mail, web and mobile marketing.
The microsite for “Heinz Bienstar” features a competition giving away a stay for 2 people in fantastic Spanish Spa’s. Users can enter the competition by provinding a PIN number (found on Heinz Ketchup) via SMS, snail mail or directly online.

The agency Wysiwyg has developed an online campaign to promote Vodafone Wireless Office in Spain. The promotion features different ads’ format, personalized emails and a micro-site presenting all the information about Vodafone’s offer.
Read more on Noticiasdot.com (in Spanish).

Genetsis has developed a banner campaign to promote Fanta Free, a new low calories softdrink just launched in Spain. The creativity includes more than 20 rich media formats, and is based on the concept of “lightness” as the drink itself, allowing users to interact with the ads, moving them around the screen.

Wysiwyg has developed an online campaign for the launch in Spain of N-Gage QD, a new version of the mobile gaming device. Marketing Directo reports the campaign focuses on the possibility to challenge other users in mobile gaming arenas, and aims driving traffic to the mini-site www.n-gage.com/qd.

In Spain Garnier has launched a mobile marketing campaign to promote its products “Fructis Style”. The initiative targets young consumers giving away prizes like scooters and videogames. As reported on Marketing Directo consumers can enter the competition by texting the sms code they find on Garnier’s products. The campaign is promoted also through traditional offline channels.

Last week in Spain took place “el Congreso de Publicidad Interactiva de M�laga” where six hundred professionals gathered to discuss how help the growth of interactive advertising and to investigate the relevance of the new media in political campaigning. Marketing Directo presents an article on the event, quoting the opinions of some the executives who joined the discussion. For example, Javier Rodr�guez Zapatero, general manager at Yahoo Iberia said:
“Internet es el medio m�s completo que existe para generar notoriedad”.

Mr Zapatero is also the director of IAB Spain and announced an online advertising glossary will be released soon in order to help a standardization of ads’ formats.